Karachi, March 22, 2020 (PPI-OT): Sindh Minister for Information, Local Government, Housing and Town Planning, Religious Affairs, Forest and Wildlife Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that in order to control the spread of novel coronavirus there would be complete lockdown for 15 days in Sindh from midnight i.e. 12:00 am Monday. Provincial Minister for Information said that this tough decision was taken after reviewing the complete situation evolving after the spread of coronavirus. He said this while briefing the journalists at the conclusion of an important meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.
All the cabinet members including ministers, advisers, special coordinators to Sindh Chief Minister, Chief Secretary Sindh, Director General Rangers, Sindh, Brigadier Waseem of Core V, inspector General Police, Sindh, Additional Inspector General, concerned officers of provincial disaster management and all other relevant officers were present during the meeting. Information Minister told that the coronavirus had transmitted locally in 80 people in Karachi. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that people should not call it curfew but instead they should consider it as “Care For You”.
Provincial Minister for Information said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was of the opinion that the government should adopt every possible measure that could be beneficial for the health and security of the people. He said that after the lockdown no one would be allowed to leave his home unless facing an unavoidable situation. Only the patients would be allowed to visit the hospital and that too with only one person and with the permission of the security officials. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that the availability of basic utilities including water, electricity and gas would be ensured.
Provincial Minister for Information while briefing further about the decision taken during the meeting said that all the people had been exempted to pay their electricity and gas bills it the bills didn’t exceed more than 4000, and 2000 respectively. He said that the supply of electricity to those who could not pay their current bills would not be disconnected. Syed Nasir Hussain Shah further said that action would be taken against whosoever stockpiled the essential food items and those who sold essential items on high prices. Provincial Minister for Information said that during the lockdown every type of gathering had been banned.
The seminaries and other worship places would be closed, he added. The Minister said that all the educational institutes, shopping malls, public parks and government offices had already been closed in the province. He appealed to the people to follow whatever decisions being taken by the Sindh government as all these decisions were taken in complete favour of them. However, restaurants would be allowed to offer home delivery service and grocery, milk, fish, chicken, meat and vegetable shops/stalls would remain open as usual, the Minister told.
He said that the chief minister had also decided to establish Coronavirus Relief Fund of Rs3 billion to which he would donate his one-month salary. The Sindh cabinet members, advisers and special assistants to the CM, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Sindh Mushtaq Mahar, Chairman of Planning and Development Board Mohammad Waseem and Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar had also announced that they would donate their one-month salary to the fund.
Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said, “We won’t be uncertain in doing what we must to control the spread of the virus. We are putting health of the people first”. The Minister said that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that he understood that people might find the actions taken by the government as inconvenient and difficult to perform their daily routine but this was necessary to curb the spread of Covid-19 that might cost innocent lives of the people of the province.
For more information, contact:
Sindh Information and Archives Department
Government of Sindh
95-Sindh Secretariat 4-B, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-99204423, +92-21-99204401
Email: pressinformationzubair@gmail.com
Website: http://sindhinformation.gos.pk